We have another u-turn from slippery John Key after his trip to Hollywood. First he said he wasn’t going to offer sweeteners, now it seems they are on the table. There are many potential advantages for New Zealand and its screen,and digital industries from attracting Hollywood productions to NZ. However, most of the reports, commentaries and background information point to a further push by major, US-based corporates to extend their dominance internationally, in support of their own interests, power and values.

Coverage on TV3’s The Nation yesterday, highlighted most of the relevant issues, especially in the Rachel Smalley’s interviews with Jane Kelsey (University of Auckland Law School), Helen Kelly (CTU president), Jo Coughlan (Wellington City Councillor), and Stephen Jacobi (NZ US Council Executive Director).

As Helen Kelly said, there are many things to be celebrated about bringing international screen productions here. It is some of the elements that are being incorporated into the latest rounds of relevant negotiations that are causing concern. She says:

We’ve just seen Weta apply to bring 400 foreign workers in to do some core jobs in the industry that they should be training and giving to New Zealanders. We’ve seen the Employment Law change, basically removing all employment rights for workers in the film industry, and we’re seeing the secrecy.

And Kelly added:

And the other thing is that we are seeing jobs in this country going out the window all over the place. And why is the government also not putting the time and energy into looking into those industries? Over 100,000 jobs in manufacturing. Why isn’t the government looking at those as well? Why aren’t they for example spending six million, allowing Kiwi Rail to make our trains here. Long term engineering, building, fabrication jobs?

These are some of the relevant concerns:

The importing of foreign workers to do jobs New Zealanders could do.

It’s fine if they upskill New Zealanders to do the jobs in the future, but there are concerns this is not happening.

What kind of jobs are being opened up to New Zealanders? It seems to me that a lot of the work are in technical jobs, but a lot of the more powerful creative and production jobs are being done by visitors from overseas. For instance the jobs for Kiwis that Jo Coughlan particularly refers to are electricians, labourers, caterers, designers and seamstresses. Very important jobs, with many being highly skilled, but not ones with a lot of power/control.

In addition to the above concern, Hollywood productions tend to promote US culture and values.

In contrast, there is a need for locally made productions that ensure New Zealanders can have some input on topics, values and stories that are important to us. For instance, Sir Peter Jackson has had the clout to be able to use his own Kiwi scriptwriters on his films, but on other productions, especially TV fiction, the Hollywood screenwriters guild has exerted far more power. This can be seen on TV productions like Xena, Hercules and Spartacus. John Key is looking to encourage more US TV productions in New Zealand.

For TV drama series, it is the producers and writers who determine the creative direction of the show. Certainly Pacific Renaissance (Xena, Hercules) and Starz productions (Spartacus) increasingly used local directors but not NZ scriptwriters. (Although such productions have created more long-term work for New Zealanders than Jackson’s movies, providing many with new career opportunities.)

Hollywood producers international control over copyright, and intellectual property (TPPA issues).

There are very real concerns about big US-based film and media conglomerates, along with related investment and financial companies, attempts to extend their hold over digital copyright laws. This is being done in ways that will promote their own interests, and restrict the international promotion of Kiwi creativity. This is a significant part of the current TPPA negotiations being conducted in secret.

Helen Kelly says:

No they’re not transparent, and what’s at stake here, it is very complicated, but what’s at stake here for example is there may be very much restricted use of the internet as these Hollywood producers try to protect their intellectual property which is one interest, but as New Zealanders perhaps in smaller film industry and creative industries want to use the internet to promote New Zealand culture and New Zealand industry.

And Jane Kelsey says something similar:

What’s we’re seeing now are sets of rules that Hollywood wants that would make it virtually impossible to engage in many of the innovative industries and practices on the internet, and it would turn ISPs into effective police of the internet, on behalf of Hollywood.

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76 comments on “Hollywood Rules”

Gordon Campbell has also just put up an intriguing post on Scoop on the same subject.

“Intriguing” in that he reports that James Cameron has apparently recently been in China wooing the Chinese, who are vying for more co-productions with the US film industry. Maybe the reason for the postponement of the release of Avatar 2 for a year….

Thanks, deuto. I was looking at Gordon Campbell’s blog while I was writing my post, checking if he had written on it today. It wasn’t up there before I scheduled my post for publication.

But that’s an interesting bit of research. It’s an extension of the China-US struggle over the Pacific region. Campbell says:

If China is to become a significant player in global cinema production in the next 20 years – which we should be treating as a given – it is hard to see how our film industry would benefit from a TPPA that excludes China, and that ties us into a restrictive copyright/IP regime aimed against it. Especially if, on the side, Hollywood and China’s new film studios are pursuing their own bilateral arrangements.

It’s also interesting to note that, in it’s co-production contracts with the likes of the US, China includes clauses that go beyond jobs for locals. They look to include some Chinese content in the productions:

…the main ingredient in securing Chinese funding seems to be the content onscreen, so that Chinese filmgoers can see their own country reflected in international cinema.

Both Aussie and Canada aim to do that in negotiations for with co-production, or foreign productions in their countries. This is something that NZ has failed to do. On The Nation Jane Kelsey said the doors have long been closed on that in NZ, due to past decisions under National governments. Kelsey said:

and one of the things that the Hollywood industry has been targeting in the Trans Pacific Partnership is a provision that would allow some kind of special recognition of the needs of the local cultural industry. And in fact that was introduced when Helen Clark wanted to introduce local content quotas like Australia has, to support the local culture industry, and was told that a previous National government had already signed away the right to do that in the World Trade Organisation. So these agreements have a long history of closing the doors for our local innovation, our local industry and our local jobs, to get the advantages that John Key is now promising to Hollywood.

The contrast between the way this government portrays New Zealand beneficiaries compared with the extent it is prepared to shield and subsidise foreign corporate interests is the defining position of their government.

The fact that Key’s host, James Cameron has decided not to film Avatar 2 here, must have been a clue that this trip was for Key to be “convinced” so Cameron could film here, and we will subsidise. What appalls me is that Key is continuing to peddle the myth/lie that he “saved” jobs on the Hobbit. That’s a lie, the movie was NEVER going to be moved. What he did achieve was to increase the offshore profit of the Hobbit.

tracey: for Key to be “convinced” so Cameron could film here, and we will subsidise.

There’s that, and, I suspect more. Key and NAct are trying to balance trade with China with their stronger allegiance to the US. So Key is possibly operating with and for the US-moguls in trying to ensure Cameron and his films don’t go over to the other (China) side.

In contrast, there is a need for locally made productions that ensure New Zealanders can have some input on topics, values and stories that are important to us. For instance, Sir Peter Jackson has had the clout to be able to use his own Kiwi scriptwriters on his films, but on other productions, especially TV fiction, the Hollywood screenwriters guild has exerted far more power. This can be seen on TV productions like Xena, Hercules and Spartacus. John Key is looking to encourage more US TV productions in New Zealand.

Oh fuck off, seriously. It’s mass entertainment, not an object lesson (and I think you mean “values and stories important to you rather than us). We do earnest little independent films really well in this country, but the international market for those is tiny. The US is the primary market for Hollywood films, so if a big budget movie is to be viable it has to be crafted for that specific market by people who know the deep structures that appeal to that market – which would for the most part be Americans or the heavily Americanised. If you want a piece of that pie, expect to put your national pride to the side. Also, studio script writing is a very specific and technical profession – I doubt there would be many people in New Zealand with the skills or experience. And if John Key wants to encourage more US TV productions in New Zealand, then bloody good – it provides New Zealand talent with a day job while they work on their own little projects at the same time, and it keeps the talent here.

For TV drama series, it is the producers and writers who determine the creative direction of the show. Certainly Pacific Renaissance (Xena, Hercules) and Starz productions (Spartacus) increasingly used local directors but not NZ scriptwriters. (Although such productions have created more long-term work for New Zealanders than Jackson’s movies, providing many with new career opportunities.)

Whinging about the Americans not using New Zealand script writers is like whinging about the lack of decent New Zealand comedy on TV for very similar reasons. The spin-offs for people working at the production level have been very significant however.

A mere fraction of what it should be. That’s what you don’t understand. We will never build up the expertise to have a fully independent industry if we allow ourselves to be treated as just cheap labour and a bit of scenery.

Actually CV you are yet again talking through your arse about things you know naught of. We already have a fully independent industry. It produces excellent low budget small films like Boy and In My Father’s Den. If you’re after artistic integrity, that is about the limit of what we can ever realistically achieve. Hollywood makes Hollywood movies, and Hollywood is essentially America – it makes the product so it makes the rules, hence I don’t see courting Hollywood as particularly desirable.

Hollywood isn’t the only successful movie production locale intentionally. We are a bit one-eyed about it because of our historical ties to the US.

But why not do more UK, Canadian, and European co-productions, or ones with South east Asian or Aussie companies? And in Asia, Hollywood isn’t so central, India, South Korea and China all have thriving movie and TV industries, that are seen as more central by people in those countries.

The Auckland film industry hopes its three-year effort to build relations with South Korea will lead to a lucrative new co-production market.
Industry body Film Auckland has signed a memorandum of understanding with its equivalent body in the city of Pusan.

With the exception of France and the UK, and maybe Italy, when did you last see a movie from any of those countries? Especially if you wanted to be entertained rather than do any serious thinking? And while District 9 might have been a South African movie, it wasn’t all that shit hot.

Trying to compare a century of Hollywood classics to a few decades of subcontinental musical kitsch isn’t really possible, and I’m willing to bet you haven’t seem much Canadian television because with a few exceptions it’s mostly knockoffs of US formats.
Not being particular interested in matching the current crop of Hollywood pablum and sequelitis is hardly “pro-American ra-ra” CV, you sad bitter creature.

Populuxe1: I’m willing to bet you haven’t seem much Canadian television because with a few exceptions it’s mostly knockoffs of US formats.

Unfortunately this is true of mainstream screen productions in most countries, and is a reflection of US dominance. For instance, it’s seen in the format of most Aussie dramas, even though they give it a bit an Aussie accent. When another country does something innovative, Hollywood appropriates it and tries to make it over in their own image. This is seen with their remakes of South American tele-novellas, attempts at doing Outrageous fortune, The Office, etc.

Some of the most innovative new shows form non-US countries have been shown first as web series. And Canadians have made a couple of pretty unusual ones that then got picked up and “normalised” by television studios and channels. The first I saw was Sanctuary, which first went online a few years back. It was produced by and starred several Stargate alumni (people who had been given more opportunities for creative input by the US-Canadian agreements) – Amanda Tapping was the main producer and actor. It went to TV on the sci fi channel and has been a mediocre success.

The second, one of my favourites was Riese. It is a fantasy, medieval version of Steampunk. Unfortunately it only lasted about 6 episodes being internationally available as a web series, before it was pulled and made into a TV show – so glad I downloaded the original web episodes. I have seen the first 2 TV eps, but unfortunately it’s made for dummies. They’ve added a voice over narration, whereas the web series had less dialogue, and was far more visually focused, with many things mysteriously unexplained at the beginning. And now the online episodes are locked down geographically, so we can’t see them here.

The Internet does provide a possible route to international exposure. Unfortunately, from what Kelsey was saying on The Nation, I understood that Hollywood is trying to take control and restrict what other countries can do online to promote their own product.

Amanda Tapping is fabulous! ANd even although it’s more a less a copy of Saturday Night Live, I have a soft spot for Kids in the Hall.
I think it’s best for all concerned to avoid the Babylon of Hollywood and concentrate on the small-but-perfectly-formed which we excel at.

DTB: the internet allows for a greater possible audience than the US does

There are possibilities there, especially if the government really got behind it as part of a strategy for supporting NZ screen production. There’s been a couple of isolated attempts to do that, (mainly with children’s/youth drams) but they could have been done better. Maddigan’s Quest (based on a Margaret Mahy story, put a lot of effort into its website, and made the first episode available internationally online. I heard there were some problems with the production process – can’t remember details – uncertainties and disagreements of how to do it maybe?

No, I’m setting my sights just right – countries like France, Italy and even the Czech Republic have very respectable film industries, mainly because they know their limitations and work to them. And what does Peter Jackson have to do with the price of fish? His bloated hulk might be in Miramar, but his fanboy soul is in Hollywood, and those crappy changes to our labour laws happened because a lot of people set their sights too high and wanted in on a game where only the big boys tend to come out winners.

and those crappy changes to our labour laws happened because a lot of people set their sights too high and wanted in on a game where only the big boys tend to come out winners.

What stupidity and erasure of recent history.

Key and Jackson were cornerstone players in selling out the country. Jackson in particular prevented NZ workers from receiving the same protections he gets as a union employee, and which he happily gave to foreign workers.

And why would a calculating populist like Key do this? Why were the rioting protesters attacking the critics of this law change? Because so many people were intoxicated by the Hollywood mystique and not thinking critically. When Hollywood becomes involved, suddenly it’s high stakes and high passions and people get away with terrible things. It shouldn’t happen, but you are being incredibly naive if you think any sort of normal decency applies in the Hollywood system. If Wallmart had come here and tried to do that, the outcry would have been far greater. Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas.

Yes, the man is a shit, but he’s playing the game. You seem to be under the impression that you can get your own way against someone with a stronger hand than you without bribery and underhandedness. I don’t see any point in getting into the game in the first place – it’s like sailing a rubber dinghie in the America’s Cup.

pop, as it is, so shall it always be? People like Jo Coughlan argue for importing US expertise in order to upskill Kiws so they can do those roles. So why not script-writing also? We have people keen to make a successful career out of film and TV writing. Why haven’t any US production companies taken on a Kiwi or two as apprentice writers (with the exception of Jackson’s writers)?

Yes, I agree that overseas productions have provided work and a career path for many Kiwis in the industry that didn’t exist before. And not just because of Jackson. Auckland US TV productions trained a lot of the crew and other workers that went on to work on LoTR – Jackson couldn’t have done it without them, but his very good at his own PR.

However, other countries are more aggressive about protecting their own culture and local productions. And how great would it be if a few Kiws could learn how to write and produce more comedy? Why did we let the US snaffle Flight of the Concords?

I would argue, Karol, that we are perfectly competent at producing our own movies as it is – we understand our own voice and stories. Hollywood is about submitting to a vast market-driven factory that produces very slick mass product, much like the music industry. Why do so many of our musicians head off overseas? – it’s not from lack of recording facilities. It is unlikely any sort of apprenticeship can make you flawlessly wield US idioms, cultural values and the other deep structures bedded in Hollywood films.

Why did we let the US snaffle Flight of the Concords?

My thesis is because they weren’t actually very funny in New Zealand. Being in America made their awkward nerdy New Zealand humour something outlandish and funny. Here they’re just quirky, maybe. Look at Rhys Darby – he’s a horrible stand-up comedian, but quite reasonable playing a “New Zealander” in another country to a foreign audience.

I always forget what pro-American cheerleading sounds like. Especially the kind which seeks to undermine our own national self confidence. Beware mate, they are on the wane and we must relearn how to stand on our own two feet before we forget how.

If you read ” pro-American cheerleading” into that, CV, you are clearly a fool as well as a deluded jingoist. How the fuck is know ing what we’re good at not standing on “our own two feet”. Your anti-America conspiracy paranoia is, as always, entertaining.
I hate ukulele orchestras as well, does that make a closet Nazi too?

How the fuck is know ing what we’re good at not standing on “our own two feet”.

Because standing on our own two feet would be pushing to take it to the next level rather than staying exactly as we are and hoping that Hollywood comes along and holds our hand. It’s the latter that you’re advocating.

No, I’m advocating we follow the path of countries outside the usual US/UK axis and put money into making powerful thoughtful smaller films that don’t aspire to ersatz Hollywood because we are never going to break into that market. Many European countries in particular have very respectable film industries, but know your market.

Well, we certainly won’t if we don’t try. The market, if you hadn’t noticed, is the entire friggen world. Make the films to the genres, give a good selection of subtitles and dub overs and I’m fairly sure that we could produce films quite capable of beating the Hollywood made ones.

Who is going to pay for it then? How much does your average Hollywood movie cost to make?

The market, if you hadn’t noticed, is the entire friggen world. Make the films to the genres, give a good selection of subtitles and dub overs and I’m fairly sure that we could produce films quite capable of beating the Hollywood made ones.

That’s precisely what NOT to do – look at Australia, it’s top grossing films have been things like Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla – definitely not genre. Our most popular films have been most definitely New Zealand stories – otherwise it’s just kitsch, like spaghetti westerns and bad kung fu films, and subtitled films are simply not popular in the mass market. Either you make small, good films, or cheap crap films.

1. a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music.
2. Fine Arts .
a. paintings in which scenes of everyday life form the subject matter.
b. a realistic style of painting using such subject matter.
3. genus; kind; sort; style.

So, yes, as a matter of fact, those two films did fit into some sort of genre. What I meant was that we make them to be a good SciFi, Fantasy, Horror, whatever with our own culture on them. People will watch them.

Our most popular films have been most definitely New Zealand stories…

And yet you seem to be saying that we shouldn’t make these.

…and subtitled films are simply not popular in the mass market.

Then we either dub over the voices or teach our actors to accurately pronounce other languages. I think you’ll find computer dubbing to be the cheaper option though.

Aussie films really took off when the Aus government got behind the industry and provided funding. Priscilla and Strictly Ballroom were films the government funded in the 1990s. And look how many they funded, really since the late 60s! Their government has been much more proactive than ours in funding and supporting home-grown movies and TV.

popularity and popular culture aside, i have a very dear friend in his late forties who has worked as an electrician and related roles on the production of both local and international films, for over two decades, including for Jackson, where he was often an extra, bearded (get the picture) and all that.
He has informed me at great length of the use, abuse and dependence upon alcohol and class A, B and C drugs by many of the allied trades-people working on film projects; apparently, historically for certain, the OSH and similar regulations applied to other domestic industries are not followed or adhered to amongst the producers of glitter. Interestingly, he advised of Fun Fridays, when dealers (pushers) turned up regularly with brief-cases of whatever started your motor; acid, speed, coke, dope and booze.
Roll on Hollywood, if the shoe fits, the freakin country is like the Wild Wild West already, (and that Kate Roger could get a job as an extra.

More US TV programmes, WHY? Is the deluge of mindless drivel that’s on our TV screens not enough? Why do we need more America’s got no talent and the y factor to say nothing of the endless cooking shows, usually doing recipes that the average Joe couldn’t conjure up in more than a week of intense concentration. Me I cook so I know they will probably taste like shite. Where as I can make a Steak and Mushroom casserole that you would pay for. Why would the American’s even want NZ script writers? We don’t speak the same language and The Americans have their sense of humour removed at 5.
So they make series after series of CSI, NCIS, La Law etc etc they add cities to those. And when they do get around to something half decent, they cancel it, or they change the script writers and eviscerate the story line. I used to watch Discovery But the crime shows from the other crime channels have overtaken it. So really apart from Eggheads and Doctor Who (both English) and Babylon 5 and some for the star trek stuff. all of which I have. TV can go burn. They are using an outmoded and out dated business practice and now with the TPP they want to keep their ancient and outmoded business models, and RAM them into our law so we will have to prostrate ourselves to them, the dinosaurs that refused to change. But this time I think Extinction will come early. Well one can only hope.

What’s we’re seeing now are sets of rules that Hollywood wants that would make it virtually impossible to engage in many of the innovative industries and practices on the internet, and it would turn ISPs into effective police of the internet, on behalf of Hollywood.

Actually Jane, what we are seeing is the rolling together of a number of the agendas into a single stream of action, its just that people still can’t understand it.

I seem to recall, a few years back, around 2006, several US banks were looking to invest in Hollywood movies. Merrill Lynch was one of them – although not so successfully. I also seem to recall that Key has some of his old bankster contacts in Hollywood. So, maybe he is looking for something else, now the banks are becoming more dubious and the Teflon is wearing off the PM gig?

Myth: The copyright monopoly is an essential source of income to artists today.

Fact: Out of the money spent on culture, a mere 2% (yes, two per cent) make it to individual artists through mechanisms of the copyright monopoly. This was studied in-depth in Sweden by Ulf Pettersson in 2006 (link to article, direct link to study, both in Swedish), who concluded that the vast majority of artists get their income from other means – everything from a day job to student loans.

When you’ve got a multi-billion dollar a year income and the possibility to get a large portion of those billions…

Yes, Hollywood is foremost an industry – a commercial operation, making money out of other people’s creativity. And the technology to make screen productions is becoming cheaper and more accessible. So Hollywood tries to find ways of making things expensive – huge star salaries, big blockbusters, etc.

Straight-to-web series really started to take off a couple of years ago. And many TV studios were starting to get anxious. It holds out the possibility of cutting out many of the middlemen. Though, like anything on the web, it’s not always easy to find an audience.

Sites like koldcast have tried to host some of the better, or most popular series. It remains to be seen if they’ll just end up becoming another corporate – I fear so. Some series can be locked down geographically, or require a paid subscription, but it looks like The Division can be viewed in NZ.

DTB
Talking about copyright on Radionz this morning, Tuesday, it was mentioned that USA wants to up the present period of 50 years after death to 100 years. So much for encouraging bright innovative ideas which feed off each other like open source etc. No, keep out of the sandbox, I want to have the only toy and you can pay me if you want to play.

Are you serious??? You still don’t understand that the Hobbit was NEVER in danger of being moved from NZ, that was a lie. Proven. What happened was an existing movie company with a movie already committed here got it’s profit increased by us.

IF we are going into the business of subsidising businesses why on earth would we subsidise a business whose huge profit is taken overseas and cannot be taxed here? Surely there are other industry equally or more deserving of our subsidies?

Which jobs has he secured? Cameron is going to take Avatar 2 away from NZ unless he can make a bigger profit by us subsidising him further.

You do understand the Hobbits aren’t real don;t you Fisiani? Not unlike your untouchable PM.

Bungling under your PM’s watch, or with his his knowledge has turned a probable criminal into a folk hero. How does that sit amongst the Nat supporters law and order “eye for an eye” policy??? Explained away because it’s the PM?

Given the vitriolic outpouring of Nat supporters when Ms Clark signed a painting she didnt paint for charity, it seems weird to note no Nats calling for the PM’s head for being found in botch up after botch up and at best an appalling memory of important issues throughout his life and tenure as PM.

Sorry if I am duplicating anyone else providing this link, but have not had time today to read TS extensively.

Just checked out TV3 news/Campbell Live on the net and watched this video re Johnny goes to Hollywood and was heartened that they are going to be doing a piece later this week on the implications/relations to Kim Dotcom etc.

If only people would have a go at NZonair for spending tens of millions for NZ music artists to have their whole career publicity funded, instead of movies that bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to our country.

the hobbitt is basically claptrap for intellectually impoverished saps who cant read a book.
you know the ones that go gangbusters for cucumber sandwiches.
as for nz movies that is an oxymoron.
In my opinion the best nz film is NGATI but you cant even get it on amazon.
as for the rest you should say a prayer for chilean miners who put their lives on the line every day mining silver so that the idiots here can tell their pathetic little stores that really aint worth shit.

Jane Kelsey’s article in the NZ Herald today, spells out what is behind Key’s trip to Hollywood – and it’s all about the TPPA, and intellectual copyright. It provides more explanation of some of the points she made on The Nation at the weekend. Hollywood and the music industry provide powerful lobbies to further their interests, especially in relation to digital technologies and the internet.

One target is a ban on parallel importing of books and DVDs….

The monopoly copyright term would be extended from the current life of the creator plus 50 years to over 100 years, further increasing costs.

Perhaps the most stifling proposal in terms of innovation targets the internet, which operates as a giant copying machine. New rules would control temporary electronic copies that move information from point to point, effectively installing tollbooths along the electronic highway.

Internet Service Providers would be required to police the internet, identifying and cutting off infringers and sending their names to the industry. Many current privacy safeguards would disappear….

This is too high a price for the jobs and publicity that subsidised mega-productions bring to New Zealand and would stifle the growing local industry. Hollywood even opposes a weakly worded cultural exception in New Zealand’s trade agreements that allows support for creative arts of national value, including film and creative on-line content.

What’s we’re seeing now are sets of rules that Hollywood wants that would make it virtually impossible to engage in many of the innovative industries and practices on the internet, and it would turn ISPs into effective police of the internet, on behalf of Hollywood.

firstly hollywould should close down Googles youtube. Hold on Google might have more money and bigger friends in congress. But for one to get around censure-ship. Try proxy servers. Fucks hollywould and the RIAA every time.

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MIL OSI – Source: United States Department of State – Press Release/Statement: Headline: East Asia and the Pacific: Criminal Charges Filed against Protesters in Burma The United States is concerned by reports that the Government of Burma has filed criminal charges… ...

MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Press Release/Statement Headline: New steps against kauri dieback Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today announced the Albany Scenic Reserve in Auckland will be closed until further notice to prevent the spread of kauri… ...

MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Press Release/Statement Headline: New steps against kauri dieback Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today announced the Albany Scenic Reserve in Auckland will be closed until further notice to prevent the spread of kauri… ...

MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Press Release/Statement Headline: Law change to ban cosmetic testing on animals The Government will introduce a change to the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill to ban the use of animals for testing finished… ...

MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Tax modernisation programme launched Revenue Minister Todd McClay today released the first two in a series of public consultations designed to modernise and simplify the tax system. “Taxes are an important… ...

A couple of weeks ago, Nick Smith and the government decided to prolong the sham that is ECan until 2019. When announcing that there would be a “mixed government model”, he went on to say that democracy was “too risky”… ...

The Officers of Parliament Committee reported back today on the annual appropriations for the Ombudsman, and have recommended a significant increase in funding. There's additional funding to help it cope with its duties under OPCAT and the United Nations Convention… ...

I'm sure lots of readers (and my fellow-bloggers) could contribute something really awesome to this competition.***********For the second time, the Labour History Project is running an essay competition to inspire debate on alternative futures.In December 2014, an OECD report ranked… ...

My old man used to label us kids as “fair-weather sailors” when we bitched about working outside during bad weather. That phrase comes to my mind sometimes when I come across people who claim to be “sceptics ” (“Skeptics”)… ...

Teina Pora is innocent.The Government, having considered the matter, apparently agrees he should not be re-tried. It is not clear whether the Government agrees he is innocent, but I suspect they don’t.With no re-trial ordered, Pora’s involvement with the criminal… ...

I have to admit, I had some mixed emotions when I heard Clean Reader had been taken off the market. Delight, because the app was ridiculously stupid. Sadness, because it was hilariously stupid. I still think it's worth talking about… ...

Since Andrew Little began his tightrope walk regarding whether Northland voters should or shouldn’t vote Labour, there has been much philosophising as to whether a “dirty deal” did or did not go down. To my mind, quite clearly, no deal… ...

One of the most significant changes John Key made to the Government Communications Security Bureau Act in 2013 was to weaken the protection for kiwi's communications. Previously, the Act forbade the GCSB from doing anything to intercept the "communications" of… ...

Auckland Transport yesterday started the second stage of the Beach Rd cycleway which when finished should finally help to make the first stage as well as the Grafton Gully cycleway useful. The Beach Road walking and cycling project begins its… ...

As reported in The Intercept, a refreshingly frank take on a facet of modern “security” measures in airports: A second former Behavior Detection Officer manager, who also asked not to be identified, told The Intercept that the program suffers from… ...

In the book, Health Cheque, Geoff and I found that in terms of health, prevention is more effective than cure by a factor of four to one. So the Morgan Foundation retains an interest in the issue of prevention, which led… ...

In the book, Health Cheque, Geoff and I found that in terms of health, prevention is more effective than cure by a factor of four to one. So the Morgan Foundation retains an interest in the issue of prevention, which led… ...

Chris Lewis quickly backed down from the suggestion of a dairy moratorium in the Waikato, but environmentalists won’t let it go so easily. The Waikato Federated Farmers president now insists he merely raised the notion as a “straw man” at… ...

Help Is On Its Way: Winston Peters storms home in Northland, but his historic by-election victory has raised a whole new flurry of political questions.IT WAS WINSTON’S FINEST HOUR. The sheer scale of his Northland by-election victory had the… ...

A revolving cast of contributors from the Music 101 and Wireless teams showcase some of the best new music releases from the past week. Rihanna's 'BBHMM'. Rihanna - 'Bitch Better Have My Money' Is there any other pop… ...

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Christchurch Labour Members of Parliament have secured a meeting with Air New Zealand boss Christopher Luxon following the airline’s decision to cut its Christchurch to Tokyo summer flights. They are also calling on the Minister of Transport Simon Bridges to… ...

Andrew Little has reinstated Carmel Sepuloni as Labour’s Social Development spokesperson following the sentencing of her mother in the New Plymouth District Court today. “It has been a tough time for Carmel, but we both agreed it was appropriate she… ...

Many Kiwis will be wondering if the joke is on them when a raft of Government changes come into effect tomorrow, Labour Leader Andrew Little says. “First is ACC and National’s unwillingness to end its rort of Kiwi businesses which… ...

Labour is challenging the Government to reveal its plans to make housing more affordable through amending the Resource Management Act, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “Labour remains willing to consider the proposals on housing affordability on their merits and… ...

John Key has now been forced to admit that he never had the broad political support to gut the Resource Management Act, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson Megan Woods. “Cornerstone legislation such as the RMA should never be changed without genuine… ...

The Government must be more transparent around the draft investor state dispute settlements in the TPPA, says David Parker, Labour’s Export Growth and Trade spokesperson. “Labour is pro trade, and is proud of the FTA we negotiated with China, which… ...

The Green Party believes ensuring student and staff representation on university councils is important. National recently passed a law reducing the size of university governance councils while increasing the proportion of the members nominated by, guess who… Steven Joyce. The… ...

“Nick Smith has got to fess up and tell us what is happening to his much vaunted RMA reform, Labour’s Environment spokesperson Megan Woods says. “With just a day and a half to go before the polls open in Northland,… ...

Massive pay rises at the State Services Commission prove National’s claims of clamping down on spending in the public sector are simply fantasy, Labour’s State Services spokesman Kris Faafoi says. “Salaries in this one department are almost $70,000 more than… ...

The Christchurch City Council is seeking public feedback on its proposed 10 year plan for Council revenue and spending. This is probably one of the most significant 10 year plans ever to be written by a local council because of… ...

Labour wants stab proof vests and pepper spray for all corrections officers to keep them safe from the epidemic of serious prison assaults that are occurring around the country’s jails, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “There have been five… ...

Minister Hekia Parata needs to understand what consultation is, Port Hills MP Ruth Dyson says. “It means you have to listen to what people say in their submissions and then be able to demonstrate you have considered their views when… ...

Let’s celebrate and thank our caregivers. This week is caregivers’ week. It’s a chance to acknowledge the thousands of women, and occasional other person, who are caring for the elderly and disabled in our country. They hold people’s lives in… ...

Labour MP for Mana Kris Faafoi has welcomed the move to place the services from the Mana Post shop to a local small business. “This is the best outcome for the community we could ask for. All the vital services… ...

Labour is moving to restore the rights of Kiwis to take tea and rest breaks, Leader Andrew Little says. “Within months of the Government’s Employment Relations Amendment Bill becoming law we are already seeing some of our largest companies, including… ...

At last the UN has spoken out against the widely-used weedkiller Roundup. The UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has identified glyphosate, the principle ingredient in Roundup, as a probable carcinogen. They also include as probable carcinogens the insecticides&hellip; ...

Our photo journey started by the Waioweka (also known as Waioeka) River which flows from Te Urewera to Opotiki, and is surrounded by beautiful forest. The water looked great! Kopeopeo Canal It contrasted greatly with the Kopeopeo Canal near Whakatane,… ...

As Dyslexia week comes to a close, Dyslexia NZ have reminded us that around 10% of our citizens are dyslexic and are entitled to better support. One of their strongest arguments is that failure to provide identification and support for… ...

Today marks Race Relations Day in New Zealand. Race Relations Day coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The United Nations General Assembly chose this day as it marks the day in 1960 when 69 peaceful… ...

The knife-edge election in Israel complicates the Middle East situation, even more than usual. The Prime Minister-elect, Binyamin Netanyahu, is moving to form a government. Netanyahu has indicated that, during his term, a Palestinian state would not be established. That… ...

The Green Party has a vision of a liveable, accessible Christchurch with a sense of identity and strong connected communities. Instead, 2013 census figures released by Statistics New Zealand reveal a fractured community, and tell a story of frustrated Christchurch commuters… ...

The Green Party is calling on the New Zealand Super Fund to divest their $140 million investment in coal companies that are vulnerable to becoming financially stranded according to a damning new report from Oxford University. The Smith School of… ...

The adage about the first casualty of war being truth is one that might often be applied to the political battle for hearts and minds, and of course votes. A rather unfortunate example of this has been arriving in the… ...

Over the last few weeks I’ve been wondering how safe our income support system is for people, especially those with cognitive or learning disabilities. I’ve been trying to support a young man who was severely injured in a workplace accident… ...

Over the weekend thousands of Aucklanders flocked to celebrate our city’s diverse Pacific communities and cultures at the annual Pasifika festival and the Greens were there to join them. The Pasifika festival has been held every year for 23… ...

It was heartening to see a large number of people who care about the Marlborough Sounds come together at the Marlborough Marine Futures’ forum in Picton on March 8. Fellow Green MP Steffan Browning, who lives in Marlborough, and I… ...

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The government has taken a crucial step in improving the country’s animal welfare laws by announcing a ban on cosmetics testing on animals as part of the new Animal Welfare Act. The ban is a huge milestone victory for cruelty… ...

WELLINGTON (xx March 2015) - New Zealand has joined the growing list of progressive nations to ban cruel animal testing of cosmetics, following a two year campaign by #BeCrueltyFree New Zealand. An amendment to the Animal Welfare Act similar to… ...

The Royal Commission has now been in operation for more than two years. We have completed the public hearings for 25 case studies which in most cases have been concerned with the failure of institutions to manage their affairs to… ...

The responses victims and perpetrators of violence receive from professionals, family members and the wider community are key in generating safety and recovery for victims and accountability for perpetrators. Socially just and effective responses to violence; ...

While most of the country has been focused on the cricket world cup, cyclone Pam and tourists’ driving habits, Closing the Gap www.closingthegap.org.nz is reminding kiwis to say “no way” to the TPPA unless we know and accept what is… ...

As Vanuatu’s schools officially reopen UNICEF and its partners are supporting the Government of Vanuatu to provide assistance to 30,000 school-aged children from early childhood to secondary school level who have been affected by Category 5 Tropical ...

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Government to abandon its KiwiSaver HomeStart programme and instead tackle the regulatory taxes strangling the housing market. Boosted entitlements to the first home buyers subsidy programme come into effect ...

The University of Auckland’s plans to celebrate the Magna Carta’s 800th Anniversary in New Zealand are well under way. Associate Professor Jennifer Lees-Marshment has been awarded a £10,000 grant by the UK Government’s Magna Carta Trust to create ...

An ugly incident of racial abuse on a Wellington bus last week has led to an apology from the perpetrator and expressions of forgiveness from some Kiwi Muslim leaders. “It’s encouraging to see this turnaround in such a short time,… ...